Haley Dailey [Suite Life]

Chapter 4 - A Concerned Friend

"Zack, what are you doing?"

Zack lifted chip bags and clothes off of his bedroom floor later that day after school. "I'm looking for my work shirt. You seen it?"

"The last time I saw it, you were wearing it yesterday at work."

A memory came back to Zack. "Oh... I left it on the Sky Deck at the smoothie counter."

"You left your shirt at the smoothie counter? What did you do, change at the counter?"

Zack paused for a second and eyed his brother who was giving him a confused expression. Innocently, he said, "Maybe. All I had to do was duck and change. Plus, I had to be somewhere."

"Where? Another date?"

Cody knew Zack all too well. "No... just asking Michelle out."

"Red-headed Michelle from chemistry? I thought you didn't like the smart types."

"Who cares if they're smart if they're hot? Now, let's head up to the Sky Deck. Wait, my work shorts... yeah, they're up there, too."

Cody shook his head at how hilarious his brother could be sometimes, and the two started walking up to the Sky Deck. As they walked along the railing of the ship, and the warm salty sea wind whipped their blonde hair, Cody said, "So, speaking of appearances, I heard what you and Haley were talking about in history class today. You asked her about the smoothie counter incident."

"Yeah, so? I was curious."

Cody leaned in, smirking at his brother, and giving him that sly look he sometimes gave him. "You were concerned about her."

"What? No, I just wanted to know just how often she's insulted. It's more than what I thought."

"Yeah..." Cody said, being serious now, his eyes sad. "I feel really bad for her. She's such a nice girl, easy to talk to, and she's smart, yet she gets insulted like that, and all the time, too."

Zack had to admit, that it was pretty easy to talk to her in history class. He told her personal things about his dad that only Cody and his mom knew about. Since when was he so open like that with a girl? Never. Was this something he should think a little more about?

"It's disheartening," Cody continued. "I mean, she gets insulted more than Bailey does from London, and that's saying something."

Zack looked at his brother, brows creased. "She does?"

"Haven't you heard London make snide remarks at Bailey?"

"No, I mean Haley gets insulted that often?"

"According to what I hear on the Sky Deck, at school, and from Haley herself at our study groups. We've had two so far, and Haley has come with tears in her eyes at both. She says that it's allergies, but I don't believe her. Her red eyes were from emotion, not pollen."

For some reason, Zack's chest pinched. People really were that mean to her. He found himself saying, "Man, poor girl."

"Yeah..."

"Makes me want to do something about it."

They both stopped, and Cody looked at him with wide eyes. "You want to do something about it?" That smirk came back, and he poked Zack in the arm. "Ooo, I was right. You are concerned about her."

Zack might as well just spit it out. "Okay, fine. Maybe I am. She may look hideous, but she's not that bad. People should keep their opinions to themselves."

"Says the guy who's insulted me his whole life."

"You're my brother. I'm allowed to do that to you."

Cody nodded, not questioning that, and the two went on to the Sky Deck.